FCC Approves Encryption of Basic Tier Channels
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FCC Approves Encryption of Basic Tier Channels
The FCC has now approved the encryption of the basic tier for all-digital cable systems. The FCC defines an all-digital system as one in which no television signals are provided using the NTSC system (in other words, if there are no analog channels, the system is considered all-digital). The FCC does not see any benefit to encrypting the digital version of a channel that is broadcast in the clear over NTSC.
This means if you are currently using ClearQAM tuners on an all-digital system, your ClearQAM tuners are likely about to become paperweights if not used in conjunction with a cable box. While some may consider that bad news, the good news is you may be eligible to receive a free box or CableCARD depending on your subscription.
Additionally, the FCC is requiring the six largest cable companies to provide IP accessibility to the basic tier channels if those channels are encrypted. That condition will automatically sunset in 3 years.
http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Release ... -126A1.pdf
http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/14/fcc- ... ings-that/
This means if you are currently using ClearQAM tuners on an all-digital system, your ClearQAM tuners are likely about to become paperweights if not used in conjunction with a cable box. While some may consider that bad news, the good news is you may be eligible to receive a free box or CableCARD depending on your subscription.
Additionally, the FCC is requiring the six largest cable companies to provide IP accessibility to the basic tier channels if those channels are encrypted. That condition will automatically sunset in 3 years.
http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Release ... -126A1.pdf
http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/14/fcc- ... ings-that/
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I was one of the people who filed comments with the FCC regarding this case. After reading the whole thing, I have a few comments...
First, this doesn't affect me now that I'm using Windows Media Center and effectively sharing my CableCARD tuners with every TV in the house. For most people though, I believe this rule will have a negative financial impact.
While my cable operator is not all-digital, I believe that all cable operators will eventually transition to all-digital so that they can provide more channels in the same bandwidth. Almost all of the people I know have more than one TV in their homes, and most of them have only one STB, while the other TV's in the house receive the free basic service without an STB.
I cannot believe that the FCC truly believes that this will affect a small number of customers. I understand that satellite TV providers are not bound by the rules regarding the encryption of basic-tier channels. The FCC and the cable operators assert that this disparity puts the cable operators at a disadvantage. I disagree. One of the reasons that I never switched from cable to satellite was the requirement to have a satellite receiver at every TV in the house. I couldn't justify the cost to rent/buy 5 satellite receivers, plus the service fees associated with them.
If the cable companies start encrypting the basic tier channels and therefore requiring an STB at every TV, then this is one less barrier to switching to satellite.
Overall, I think this is quite simply a money grab by the cable operators. It could be good for companies that make CableCARD tuners and extenders for Windows Media Center though.
First, this doesn't affect me now that I'm using Windows Media Center and effectively sharing my CableCARD tuners with every TV in the house. For most people though, I believe this rule will have a negative financial impact.
While my cable operator is not all-digital, I believe that all cable operators will eventually transition to all-digital so that they can provide more channels in the same bandwidth. Almost all of the people I know have more than one TV in their homes, and most of them have only one STB, while the other TV's in the house receive the free basic service without an STB.
I cannot believe that the FCC truly believes that this will affect a small number of customers. I understand that satellite TV providers are not bound by the rules regarding the encryption of basic-tier channels. The FCC and the cable operators assert that this disparity puts the cable operators at a disadvantage. I disagree. One of the reasons that I never switched from cable to satellite was the requirement to have a satellite receiver at every TV in the house. I couldn't justify the cost to rent/buy 5 satellite receivers, plus the service fees associated with them.
If the cable companies start encrypting the basic tier channels and therefore requiring an STB at every TV, then this is one less barrier to switching to satellite.
Overall, I think this is quite simply a money grab by the cable operators. It could be good for companies that make CableCARD tuners and extenders for Windows Media Center though.
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I just read the order, and while I'm not against basic-tier encryption in general, I'm disappointed in the FCC's (lack of) consumer protections.
On the plus side (for Ceton) an InfiniTV looks an awful lot like this "IP gateway" that the large companies are required to provide...
Oh, and they did quote me, I feel like getting the blocking the "digital outlet" fees was a win!
On the plus side (for Ceton) an InfiniTV looks an awful lot like this "IP gateway" that the large companies are required to provide...
Oh, and they did quote me, I feel like getting the blocking the "digital outlet" fees was a win!
Quality Assurance Manager, Ceton Corporation
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Exactly. If you have several TV's in the house, and only one STB today, you're only going to get one free STB for one of your additional TV's... and only for one year! I think that's BS. How can anyone not see that this is just a way for the cable companies to charge you for STB's?erkotz wrote:I just read the order, and while I'm not against basic-tier encryption in general, I'm disappointed in the FCC's (lack of) consumer protections.
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More specifically, I believe you only get that if you are a basic-tier-only customer (or on Medicaid)barnabas1969 wrote:Exactly. If you have several TV's in the house, and only one STB today, you're only going to get one free STB for one of your additional TV's... and only for one year! I think that's BS. How can anyone not see that this is just a way for the cable companies to charge you for STB's?erkotz wrote:I just read the order, and while I'm not against basic-tier encryption in general, I'm disappointed in the FCC's (lack of) consumer protections.
Quality Assurance Manager, Ceton Corporation
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No, it said that you get two STB's if you have basic-tier-only, for a period of 2 or 3 years. If you're on Medicaid, you get it for 5 years. If you have above-basic-tier services, then you only get one free box for 1 year.erkotz wrote:More specifically, I believe you only get that if you are a basic-tier-only customer (or on Medicaid)barnabas1969 wrote:Exactly. If you have several TV's in the house, and only one STB today, you're only going to get one free STB for one of your additional TV's... and only for one year! I think that's BS. How can anyone not see that this is just a way for the cable companies to charge you for STB's?erkotz wrote:I just read the order, and while I'm not against basic-tier encryption in general, I'm disappointed in the FCC's (lack of) consumer protections.
EDIT: It just irritates me that they are forcing people to shell out another $8.00/month per TV, after the free period expires. I know a lot of people who have two or three TV's, and they only pay for one STB. The FCC document seemed to rely very heavily on the data provided by the cable companies, who claim that it will only affect a very small number of customers. I think the FCC has their heads up their rear ends.
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The math is simple
Comcast/Telco's make campaign donations and gets people making policy decisions on their side
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/the-ten-c ... l?page=all
They use new policy to make money
Its old fashioned bribery.
Comcast/Telco's make campaign donations and gets people making policy decisions on their side
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/the-ten-c ... l?page=all
They use new policy to make money
Its old fashioned bribery.
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Another story, the 15 most disliked companies... four are cable companies and one is a digital satellite TV company:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/the-15-mo ... l?page=all
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/the-15-mo ... l?page=all
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1) Comcast and other cable companies donate big bucks to government to retain control on the cable prices. Its ironic that they get to control what devices can be used to view cable because its in their best interest to restrict that as much as possible. Why is cable labs not an independent authority?
2) Cellular giants like Verizon/ATT pay billions to buy bandwidth knowing fully well that once they have control of airwaves they have full control of prices.
2) Cellular giants like Verizon/ATT pay billions to buy bandwidth knowing fully well that once they have control of airwaves they have full control of prices.
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Is this why last week i lost all my Comcast clear QAM channels from my Hauppauge 2250? The only thing i have left in the clear is 1 PBS affiliate and some how ABC-HD. subsequent scans get me nothing else.
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If that's the case, they sure didn't waste any time.VikingCrown wrote:Is this why last week i lost all my Comcast clear QAM channels from my Hauppauge 2250? The only thing i have left in the clear is 1 PBS affiliate and some how ABC-HD. subsequent scans get me nothing else.
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I thought that seemed fast as well, but i can't explain it any other way. I can't even manually re-add the channels, when i try and add CBS-HD i get an encrypted message.
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I doubt that's what happened. The FCC order contains two key requirements that could not have been met so quickly...one being the IP requirement, and the other being a 30-day advance notice to customers.
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Hmm, that makes sense. I know calls to Comcast are going to be useless so does anyone have any idea how to best get those channels back? Also feel free to move to another thread if this is too off-topic.
edit:
here is a link to a Comcast forum post with users having similar issues:
http://forums.comcast.com/t5/Channels-a ... -p/1420191
edit:
here is a link to a Comcast forum post with users having similar issues:
http://forums.comcast.com/t5/Channels-a ... -p/1420191
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Wow, I read through that thread. It looks like Comcrap has actually jumped the gun without any notification. Someone actually posted their chat session with Comcrap non-support. The nice lady blamed it on "the government", and told the guy that he can get digital adapters for free. Nice of them to notify their customers.VikingCrown wrote:Hmm, that makes sense. I know calls to Comcast are going to be useless so does anyone have any idea how to best get those channels back? Also feel free to move to another thread if this is too off-topic.
edit:
here is a link to a Comcast forum post with users having similar issues:
http://forums.comcast.com/t5/Channels-a ... -p/1420191
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And even worse... the free DTA's are SD only. I guess the FCC order didn't specify that the "free" DTA's had to output HD.
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I also lost all my Clear Qam channels through comcast on my hauppage 2250 the other day.
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The Comcast rep was talking about the switch from analog terrestrial broadcasts to digital terrestrial broadcasts...which was a government mandated switch. But the digital transition had nothing to do with why the customer couldn't access ClearQAM channels through the Comcast network. Here is the exact quote:barnabas1969 wrote:Wow, I read through that thread. It looks like Comcrap has actually jumped the gun without any notification. Someone actually posted their chat session with Comcrap non-support. The nice lady blamed it on "the government", and told the guy that he can get digital adapters for free. Nice of them to notify their customers.VikingCrown wrote:Hmm, that makes sense. I know calls to Comcast are going to be useless so does anyone have any idea how to best get those channels back? Also feel free to move to another thread if this is too off-topic.
edit:
here is a link to a Comcast forum post with users having similar issues:
http://forums.comcast.com/t5/Channels-a ... -p/1420191
Quite a few people posted similar experiences in that thread. And by "similar experiences", I mean talking to a Comcast rep that really didn't know anything. Also, some of the people were able to get their channels back by rescanning. So really, the information in that thread is pretty useless.Maricor (Comcast rep) wrote:Upon checking our system, your area is ongoing Digital migration. This is about government-mandated Digital Transition Program requires that all broadcast television stations must switch from analog to digital technology to transmit their signals. This is the reason why you are losing certain channels or not getting any channels at all on your TV that does not have a cable box.
The purpose of a DTA is to enable a TV without a digital tuner to receive a signal that is broadcast digitally. Most HDTVs have digital tuners, so no DTA would be necessary. The target user for the DTA is someone with a TV that only has an analog tuner, and the majority of those TVs are not HD. Therefore, it only makes sense that a DTA be designed to output an SD signal.
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Richard, I agree the reps don't have a clue what they are talking about (we all know that) however it seems odd that shortly before the FCC mandate more that one person lost their QAM channels. I can also say that this happened to me at 2 different residences. I moved on October 6th and had lost my channels probably October 3rd or 4th. The when i moved to my new place (same area) The channel loss is exactly the same.
I have tried re-scanning and still nothing. I can start another thread but i suspect i am pretty much SOL when it comes to clear QAM and comcast now.
I'll just have to get myself an InfiniTV4 and ditch my 2250. Maybe i can sell my DCR-2650 to offset the InfiniTV4's cost.
I have tried re-scanning and still nothing. I can start another thread but i suspect i am pretty much SOL when it comes to clear QAM and comcast now.
I'll just have to get myself an InfiniTV4 and ditch my 2250. Maybe i can sell my DCR-2650 to offset the InfiniTV4's cost.
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If you were happy with your basic cable service before, you may want to consider using an antenna. Have you checked the http://www.tvfool.com website and looked at the Signal Locator (on the left side of the page) to see what you can receive with an antenna... and what kind (indoor/outdoor/UHF/VHF/etc), and how large of an antenna you need?VikingCrown wrote:Richard, I agree the reps don't have a clue what they are talking about (we all know that) however it seems odd that shortly before the FCC mandate more that one person lost their QAM channels. I can also say that this happened to me at 2 different residences. I moved on October 6th and had lost my channels probably October 3rd or 4th. The when i moved to my new place (same area) The channel loss is exactly the same.
I have tried re-scanning and still nothing. I can start another thread but i suspect i am pretty much SOL when it comes to clear QAM and comcast now.
I'll just have to get myself an InfiniTV4 and ditch my 2250. Maybe i can sell my DCR-2650 to offset the InfiniTV4's cost.
EDIT: Check out my next post (on page 2).
Last edited by barnabas1969 on Wed Oct 17, 2012 1:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.